her?”
I pulled away before gripping her shoulders. My hands shook when they touched her, and I wondered if it was what made her body tremble or if it was the same raw emotions flowing uncontrollably through me. “I love you too much to hurt you ever again. Please, please believe me and come home.”
Chewing her lip, she stared at me so long I thought my heart would stop from the agony of wondering if maybe we were too far gone to ever be again. And as if she were life itself, she revived me with three words.
“I believe you.” The moment my mind processed the words, I leaned down to kiss her to keep from crying out like a bitch, but she stopped me with a finger pressed to my lips. “I just have one request.”
“Name it.” I didn’t give a damn how eager I sounded.
Glancing out the window toward the minivan, she turned back to me with her nose wrinkled. “Can we at least trade it for a pretty red one?”
I laughed a little harder than I should, but if the other patrons only knew what this girl did to me…it had taken me too damn long to realize it myself. Now that I had, all bets were off.
“Deal.”
I HUFFED FOR A THIRD time. Even though this was going to be one of the most memorable days of our lives, I was miserable. It turned out the thong that had been oh so necessary for this dress was two sizes too small. My ass hadn’t quite rebounded to its original size after giving birth, but until now, I hadn’t minded. And neither did Vaughn. Maybe it was the sand stuck between my toes or my so-called waterproof mascara burning my eyes.
“Maybe if you stopped crying, your makeup wouldn’t be ruined,” I heard whispered in my ear.
I peered over my shoulder to where Vaughn was standing behind me, waiting for our cue. “I can’t help it,” I blubbered, hiccupping and sniffling at the same time. “She was so beautiful. You should have seen her. It’s all just so beautiful,” I sobbed.
I couldn’t pull it together if I tried.
“If she looked even half as gorgeous as you do right now, I’m sure I’ll be amazed,” he gamed.
I blushed despite rolling my eyes. Vaughn looked even more intimidatingly beautiful in his black tux.
Jamie, who’d put this all together in a month, began to play some soft melody on his guitar, and I started my slow walk down the sandy aisle. The bouquet of white flowers I clutched in my trembling hands shook as I stared despite my blurry vision at the waves crashing ahead. The sun was slowly lowering, so the sky glowed as blue gave way to the gold and orange of sunset. I could feel the silk material of my blue gown swishing about my feet and was grateful we hadn’t been required to wear heels.
I gave a shaky yet reassuring smile to the male pretending not to be nervous as he waited under the arch that looked like a giant wreath of white silk and gold lanterns. Once Vaughn and I were in position, facing one another with a few feet separating us, Bee followed. Jamie, clad in a tux as well, couldn’t take his eyes from her even as he played. Four and Ever were next to walk the aisle. Heart-stuttering moments later, the handful of guests rose from the elegant, white folding chairs.
I discreetly wiped away my leaking mascara and blinked away the tears so that I could see clearly. This wasn’t a moment I wanted to miss. Lou appeared, and she was just as breathtaking as I remembered her not five minutes ago. She looked like a princess in the white, ball gown with her dark hair pinned up. I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t take my eyes away. Wren, who had been stoic—the only emotion he ever allowed anyone but Lou to see—melted before everyone’s eyes. The Hendersons, Lou’s former foster family who’d flown from Texas to be here. Miles and Leo, who’d run the streets with her whenever she ditched her foster home. How Jamie had tracked them down, I didn’t know. He’d do well to manage his family’s billion-dollar business one day since he was a wizard at getting what he wanted. Kendra was in attendance as well, and everyone had held their breath, hoping Lou wouldn’t claw her eyes out. She’d seemingly gotten over Kendra’s history with Wren. Of course, Winny,